Shohei Ohtani's roster spot an unfair advantage, claims Craig Counsell ahead of weekend Dodgers-Cubs series

Ohtani met the criteria last year, so he's a two-way player this year. He also met the criteria in 2023, which allowed him to keep two-way player status before he returned to the mound in 2025 (Ohtani did not pitch in 2024 due to elbow surgery). Ohtani is the only player in baseball to qualify as a two-way player.

As for Counsell calling the two-way rule "bizarre," this is just sour grapes. The two-way rule was announced in March 2019 and took effect in 2020. No one complained about it when Ohtani was with the Los Angeles Angels because the Angels stunk. Now that he's with the Dodgers and they've won the last two World Series, it's a problem.

If you want to complain about two-way status, complain that MLB quietly changed the rule in 2024 from meeting the criteria in the previous season to any of the two previous seasons. That allowed Ohtani to keep two-way status after his elbow surgery year, a seemingly deliberate move made to directly benefit Ohtani and the Dodgers.

The two-way rule is available to all players. Shota Imanaga hit .256 in his final season in Japan. Counsell can give him 20 starts and 60 plate appearances at DH, qualify him as a two-way player, and boost his roster flexibility. He won't do that though, because Imanaga is not actually a good hitter. So, it's a skill issue. Your pitchers aren't as good at hitting as Ohtani? Too bad.

Also, while the two-way rule makes it easier for the Dodgers to use their six-man rotation, they'd likely use one anyway, even if Ohtani counted as one of their 13 pitches. They would just cycle through relievers in the last bullpen spot to make sure that last guy is always available, and the last guy in the bullpen is never an impact pitcher, even for a team as good as the Dodgers.

Two offseasons ago, Michael Lorenzen's agent marketed him to teams as a two-way player. Lorenzen had some decent years at the plate earlier in his career. Giving him those 20 DH starts would have increased his team's roster flexibility and, theoretically, made him more appealing to contenders at the trade deadline. Lorenzen never did DH, but the idea was floated.

Ohtani, 31, is hitting .272/.402/.506 with five home runs this season. He currently has a 52-game on-base streak, six behind Hall of Famer Duke Snider's franchise record. As a pitcher, Ohtani has a 0.50 ERA and 18 strikeouts in 18 innings spanning three starts. This year is Year 3 of Ohtani's heavily deferred 10-year, $700 million contract.

The Dodgers have baseball's best record at 16-6. The Cubs are 13-9 and riding a six-game winning streak. The two teams will meet this weekend at Dodger Stadium, then from Aug. 3-5 at Wrigley Field.